Goodbye Dreary Kitchen, Hello Minimalist Dream!

Living in a historic building can be a double-edged sword: on one hand, you get to experience the charm and character that the building radiates. On the other hand, you may have to deal with a seriously outdated design. This is precisely what Nancy was faced with in her 1912 co-op home in Westchester County, New York. She had happily lived there for twenty years before she decided it was time for a drastic kitchen facelift.

Nancy posted her project on Sweeten and was paired with the perfect contractor. While the galley layout of the kitchen was functional and allowed for plenty of prep space, Nancy felt the design looked outdated. Clashing laminate countertops and original wood cabinets made the kitchen look tacky and disjointed. The time-worn stain finishes of the half oak, half pine floors had also seen better days.

She decided to keep the existing cabinets and placement of the appliances so that she could splurge on the flooring and countertops. From the very beginning, she knew that she wanted to use Caesarstone because of its durability and easy maintenance. Nancy fell in love with the pale grey color of Georgian Bluffs, which complimented the stainless steel appliances that had been installed a few years earlier.

The old wooden flooring was ripped out and replaced with ceramic hexagonal tiles. “I always wanted a black floor,” says Nancy. The extensive grout lines between the small modern tiles keep the surface nonslip. As an homage to the era in which the kitchen was built, timeless ceramic subway tiles were used for the backsplash.

A new stainless steel sink and single-lever faucet add to the simplistic yet sophisticated aesthetic. New toe kicks underneath the cabinets were installed and a fresh coat of paint on the walls and radiator complete the look of this minimalist kitchen. And in true Sweeten fashion, the contractor finished the job right on schedule. This new kitchen is effortlessly chic and ready for all of Nancy’s future cooking adventures.

Sweeten is a free renovation service that matches homeowners with the best general contractors, providing support until the job is done. Follow the blog for renovation ideas and inspiration and when you’re ready to renovate, start your renovation on Sweeten.